Human Rights and the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines: Religious Opposition to the Marcos Dictatorship, 1972-1986

Abstract

As a representative of Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), Sr. Mariani Dimaranan traveled worldwide, working to highlight human rights injustice in the Philippines and to gather support for the efforts of her organization. TFDP’s efforts to highlight political detention took place in the milieu of 1970s international human rights discourse. While the importance of Western Europe and the United States on this discourse is often highlighted, less attention is given to the work of grassroots activists in places such as the Philippines. This article highlights the navigation between local and international political issues within Philippinebased grassroots opposition to the Marcos dictatorship. In so doing, I add to the literature on international human rights as well as religious social movements in opposition to martial law.